The Newcomer
by Shapeshifter99
Summary: John brings home a visitor... A cat, to be precise! Not slash, rated K .


**So, I've started watching Sherlock, the BBC Tv series. And man, is it AWESOME! Seriously, it ranks up there with Young Justice. So anyhow, I had a stroke of inspiration, and since I can't post it on DeviantART (long story) I decided to put it here.**

* * *

"John, what _is_ that?!" Sherlock said, his noise wrinkling at the object before him.

"It's a cat." John said patiently as he nudged the kitten out of the box he had brought it in.

"Yes, I know, but what is it _doing_ here?"

"It's your new flat mate." The doctor said cheerfully.

Sherlock stared at him incredulously. "Why on earth do we need a cat?!"

"We don't _need_ one," John corrected. "But Mrs. Hudson told me that the local shelter was almost overflowing with animals, and told me that she wouldn't mind if she got a pet. So…"

"But it's useless. If it's useless, then we don't need it. Get rid of it, John." Sherlock said haughtily before bringing his paper up. "Go drown it or something. Isn't that what they do to cats these days?"

"Sherlock!" John reprimanded.

As the friends argued, the kitten that John had adopted took a few hesitant steps forward, its nose lifted as it sniffed the air curiously. It was sleek, and slightly long-furred, with intelligent blue eyes, long legs and bluish gray fur. Its feathery tail darted from side to side as it tottered forward.

It eventually made it to Sherlock's feet and looked up with wide, innocent eyes.

"Mreow?" It went.

"See? He already likes you!" John said, smiling slightly.

Sherlock merely sniffed.

To everyone's surprise, it leaped up onto the detective's lap and turned several times, purring loudly before curling up on his legs.

"John, John?" Sherlock said, slightly curious and panicked. "What _is_ the little beast doing?"

"It's showing its affection for you. You'd better start petting it, otherwise it'll start meowing." John informed him, slightly miffed that the cat seemed to prefer Sherlock.

As if on cue, the cat started to meow loudly before getting up and rubbing against Sherlock's hands, which were holding the newspaper.

"Stop that. It's annoying." Sherlock told the cat, frowning as he lifted his hands out of its reach.

"It's a cat, Sherlock. It won't understand you…" John's voice trailed off as the cat left Sherlock alone and sat on his lap neatly, its tail curled over its front paws and promptly stopped meowing.

"I'm glad we have an understanding." Sherlock told it simply, as if they were having a conversation before returning to his paper.

John's incredulous stare went from the cat, to Sherlock, then back to the cat.

"How'd you do that?" He asked, shocked.

"I asked it to stop, obviously. Weren't you listening, or are you turning deaf?" Sherlock said absently, before ignoring John and the cat completely.

John sat there for a couple for instants before saying tentatively. "It needs a name."

"What does?" Sherlock asked, peering over the paper. "Oh, the cat you mean? I suggest Dupin."

John frowned at Sherlock. "But I thought you hated Dupin?"

"Exactly."

John rolled his eyes. "How about something like… Atticus? After the philosopher?"

"Oh, very well. It was you who bought the thing after all." Sherlock said carelessly.

* * *

Over the next few days, Atticus began to settle in nicely. Mrs. Hudson immediately fell in love with him and made a habit of giving the kitten a few scraps of meat from time to time. Atticus spent most of his time with John, often settling on his lap while he read the papers or a good book and always followed him around.

He still wouldn't give up on Sherlock, though. He would often go up to the detective and demand to be petted by rubbing his legs and purring loudly.

Sherlock never gave in, but he let the cat stay on his lap whenever he jumped up.

After it had been about a week since Atticus had come to Baker Street, John asked Sherlock curiously, "So. What do you think of Atticus?"

The detective glanced at the sleek gray bundle of fur that was currently napping on a cushion next to him.

"He can stay, I suppose." He sighed finally.

"You might want to start giving him some affection. He seems to like you." John suggested.

"Like what?"

"Petting him, for instance." John said, rolling his eyes as he did so.

Sherlock glanced at Atticus. "Why?"

"Because cats like being petted. Like you like having an interesting case." John said in exasperation.

"Fine, I will." Sherlock said snarkily, obviously detecting the annoyance in the doctor's tone.

Gingerly, as if the cat were a time bomb, Sherlock stretched his hand out and gently petted Atticus' back. The kitten didn't move or even open his eyes, but his loud purring was soon filling the room.

"See?" John said triumphantly. "It wasn't that hard, now was it?"

"Hmm. I suppose not. Did you know cats are soft?" Sherlock said distractedly.

"That would be their fur." John said before getting up and going into the kitchen.

When he turned back, Atticus was now on Sherlock's lap, and the detective was petting him continuously while reading the paper.

* * *

**I know that in the books, Watson actually owns a dog, but Sherlock seems more of a cat person in the TV show, not to mention the flat wouldn't be big enough for a bulldog... So, review and tell me what you guys think! And the Dupin comment is also related to the books, since in the first story John and Sherlock meet (A study in Scarlet), Sherlock shows his contempt for some of John's favorite book characters. Not to mention, in the Dupin books (which are french), one of his enemies is 'Herlock Sholmes'. I'm not kidding. **


End file.
